We’ve been selling vintage on EBay for 9 years – waaaaaay before most of these ‘big guy’ sellers were in biz. Yet these days we fail to the capture the large audiences they have, we don’t get many bids, no one blogs about us, we can’t get press to save our lives, etc. etc. What gives? We sell similar stuff, have a good reputation and policies, sell worldwide, try to network our butts off (for nothing, it seems)……… yet we often sell something amazing for only $10.00……… to one of the ‘big guys’ who turns around and resells it for hundreds! WTF?

So, Chictopians, I’m asking for your CONSTRUCTIVECRITICISM! Please let me know where we’re going wrong, and feel free to be brutally honest. Tell me what you like and don’t like. What do you think would help more than anything? What is it about the ‘big guys’ that makes people shell out the big $$$ (often paying WAY more than the item is worth even)? Other sellers out there, feel free to chime in too : ).
Here’s our link >>> http://shop.ebay.com/merchant/knockoutvintageclothing

I’m not sure where I rank on the Ebay seller totem pole and frankly I couldn’t care less – and neither should you! But if I can offer a bit of help…

“because when shooting EBay merch time = money, so the more time you put into
styling each item, the less pieces you get done : /.”

I disagree with that. Personally, I would rather list 50 amazing items that are styled well than 100 items w/ mediocre styling. I find few items w/ a more precise look tend to go higher and I can charge more for them.

Also, I have a few different models for the different styles I do. I have a specific girl FOR my 50s stuff and we do a lot of the pin up-y stuff b/c I’ve found the market for that appreciates the pin up girl look more than say, the 18 year old trend of the moment gals. I have a different girl for my avant garde and trendy and yet another for the hippie styling (which is my least favorite to sell, and why I don’t list much of it).

The best thing you can do is find a niche for yourself, find your audience and cater to them. Like others have said, create a look for yourself and your style. I 100% base our style off of things I would wear. If I wouldn’t wear it, I won’t sell it. You look like you could do well w/ a lolita/babydoll look. Get yourself a dolly of a model, PAYHERWELL and and run with it.

As for blogging and stuff, there are only 2 of us and we work 80-100 hours a week, minimum. I would LOVE to do a blog (hopefully one is in the works along w/ yet another new layout) but I don’t have time to read them, let alone blog about them. Keeping up w/ chictopia once or twice a week is hard enough!

Lastly, work on posing for your model’s bodytype and watch her expressions. Make sure you bump up your mid-tones and your contrast – your photos are so blown out it’s hard to see details. You can fix that by just shooting 1-2 stops below what you’re shooting at now.

Hope that helps!

posted about 6 years ago

Flag as spam

SarahJayne is a Chictopia seller who has been hand-picked by our editors to sell merchandise on our website.

Chictopia sellers carry fashion forward products and ensure great customer experience. Click here if you are interested in selling your merchandise on Chictopia.

I appreciate all your input as I admire your listings. I wish I could afford to buy accessories to custom style each piece differently like you guys do, but I can barely afford to eat a single meal a day. I’m so limited in what I have to work with. Even $5.00 is a HUGE amount of $$$$ for me right now. I’m seriously considering prostitution as an alternative at this point : (. I’ve sold every last valuable I own hoping it would give me some capitol and I could make this work, but each month my sales have gone down, down, down, despite the quality and volume of items going up, up, up. I’ve used all my nest egg $$$ just to survive and now there’s nothing left.

It’s a tough adjustment because once upon a time Ebay was VERY different. Once upon a time a good product was ALL that mattered – not how much press you got, or how pretty your pics were, or how pretty the model was, or how well you styled items, etc. Once upon a time the ACTUALITEMITSELF was what determined bids! Now it seems like the presentation is ALL that matters. When people pay out the a** for something non-label; all they’re really doing is giving the sellers a very, very generous tip for making the pic look pretty! Most of the stuff we trendy sellers sell isn’t worth much more than $50.00. People won’t bid if the presentation isn’t pretty enough, but then they cry about stuff going for too much with the ‘big guys’ ?!?!?
I have no idea what a mid-tone is, but now I’m pissed I’m paying $75.00 an hour for bad photos. And here I thought we had an edge compared to a lot of sellers who have way worse pics! I’m trying to find a new model, but so far it’s been IMPOSSIBLE to find someone in Dallas, TX who ‘gets’ this stuff and can pull the look off. It’s all about the obviously fake Barbie look out here. I’ve gone through every modeling agency, and all their models are either Pam Anderson types, or Miley Cyrus types…. I have yet to see an au naturale looking one. This recession is just killing me.

just to throw it out there, i’m wondering if you’ve done a chictopia search for girls in your area who might be interested in modeling for you? there are a lot of really cute girls on this site who would probably be really into the idea of modeling!

and what about etsy? i’ve been considering doing the switch over to etsy, though i don’t sell very much anyway, so maybe i’m not a good source. but at least then you could make more consistent prices rather than starting at a low bid price and then losing out if nobody else bids.

also, as someone else mentioned, i have noticed that selling only items you would wear and styling them in a way that you would like is probably helpful, especially if you have a blog and write about your style inspiration and where you get your ideas for the items you sell. it seems to work for some of the other smaller sellers.

There’s been a lot of great advice here already, so there isn’t a lot left to say but I’ll try and help in any way I can. :)

You said something about how you want your model to pose a certain way or things like that, so I think it’s important that you two get together and discuss how you want it to turn out. Have an idea of what kind of image or look you’re going for and get her to try to convey this through her modeling. If there’s some kind of pose you want her to do, tell her and be active in the shoot. Maybe suggest that she start posing in the mirror to get a better understanding of which angles would be flattering for her.
Since you post photos of what you’re selling here, you could maybe ask for suggestions on how to improve the styling of each outfit in your outfit posts. There are a lot of stylish people here and I’m sure they would be glad to help.
The thumbnails you use on your ebay shop should have fewer images I think, so you can see the garments better and catch the buyer’s eye. After you click the thumbnail to view more photos of the items, I think you should try to reduce the amount of scrolling the buyer has to do. Clicking for more images of the outfits is a good idea and tons of people do it so you wouldn’t really be compared to your competitors. Also place the photos higher up on the page and reduce the size of the logo banner. Lastly, if you put up photos of different ways of styling your items that would help show the buyer that your clothes are versatile and it would attract a wider variety of customers.

I hope i come across well because i do want to help and give my opinion and suggestions.

The pink borders you have on the pictures and the pink and black advertisements when you go to the item isnt working in my opinion.Its giving off a different vibe,that combined with the model she looks like shes having fun playing “dress up”.And thats in no way intended as an insult to the girl shes gorgeous but i dont think her look is right for what you are selling.

I love the idea of getting in touch with local Chictopians who are willing to help out,i think you need out door pictures taken.Something that isnt too fussy,i think Rumi who is at www.fashiontoast.com is a good example.
That or just a girl and a plain background behind her,but nothing taken in a studio.
I dont think you need to go trhough modelling agencies either,think of your friends and perhaps shooting some pictures with them.You never know a gem could be sitting right in front of you all this time.
You want a natural flowing feel to the pictures like all the girls do on here.
I think one or two pictures max of each outfit would be enough.

Also vintage to me is something that has an effortless look to it,something even at times a little bit quirky,worn but got a classic age to it,leathers,creams,and wearable but that little bit different.
I wouldnt say your pictures represent my idea of vintage but if it represents your idea of vintage then keep going with it.But if not then try get YOUR idea of what vintage should look like across to the buyers.